On Productivity
May 15th, 2008 by DamonMy friend Mike posted this graphic from phd comics yesterday. I know this cycle too well:
Similarly, this entertaining article from Jessica Winter in Slate documents the epic procrastination/perfectionism of Ralph Ellison and Truman Capote following the publication of their big hits (Invisible Man and In Cold Blood, respectively). My favorite part is the authors’ false claims of stolen and/or burned manuscripts–really just a half-step above the “my dog ate it” excuse. I wonder if a similarly anguished procrastination is secretly at work with Harper Lee and J.D. Salinger. Either way, the article struck a little fear in the heart of this wannabe scribe (though of course I have no great success—save the underappreciated buddy cop masterpiece Haymaker & Sally—to drive my anxiety), and I hope it does the same for a certain friend who needs to finish his opus, post-haste.
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May 15th, 2008 at 2:37 pm
All i can say is that if the cycle works–stick with it. Tf you tried to make everyone conform to ‘best practices’ (or doing things the ‘right way’–what up Larry) we would not have beautiful things like shawn marion’s or bill cartwright’s jumper, Chuck Hayes at the charity stripe, or just about anything that Stephon Marbury thinks or says.
May 15th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
When’s Gatorade gonna make the Be Like Stephon commercial? Also, one of the truck companies should get him to do endorsements.
May 15th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
yeah….they could re-make the howie long ford(?) truck commercial where he is driving along and picking up the guys who have run out of gas because they drive a competitors truck, which get poor gas mileage (?). They could have a pimped out truck with stephon driving it and he could just role down his window and say to the ’sheepish middle america looking’ guys ‘get in the truck’. that would sell some fords.
i am still a fan of marbury’s story explaining how he really only felt God’s touch when he was making out/kissing his sister. that was too good to be true.
May 15th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I really like that idea. Howie Long, you’re fired.
One thing, though: Stephon didn’t say “get in the truck.” He was rather more gentlemanly than that. According to Ms. Decker’s testimony, he inquired, “are you going to get in the truck?”
May 15th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
my bad…you are right he is rather eloquent with his use of words…he did refer to my beloved home state as the land of ice and frozen tundra…i did not even know what tundra was untill starbury schooled me on that grammatical tip…though i do also remember him talking about Minnesota as if it was a city (while being a Wolf)–’not much to do in downtown MN’, so he did have some off days.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I think I learned the word tundra from Chris Berman. We are lettered men.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
if by lettered you mean we have way too much obscure NBA knowledge…yeah we are beyond lettered.
May 16th, 2008 at 8:56 am
omgosh- this cycle is me. Remind me to tell you about Belladonna’s retirement